INDEPENDENT READING LIST: AMERICAN

Please note: This list was compiled by members of the English department. That does not mean that all of the books are suitable for all readers. We have tried to provide as varied a list as possible to appeal to the widest range of readers. Please use good judgment when selecting a book. You MUST have parental permission for each book you select.

AUTHOR TITLE TOPIC Alcott, Louisa Little Women 4 sisters growing up Alvarez, Julia How the Garcia Girls Got Their Accents 4 sisters move from Dominican Republic to U.S. Alvarez, Julia In the Time of the Butterflies 4 sisters involved in revolution against Trujillo Anaya, Rudolfo Bless Me, Ultima boy tries to discover where his future lies Anderson, Sherwood Winesburg, Ohio stories about growing up in small town Angelou, Maya I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (others) autobiography of woman's early years Asimov, Isaac Fantastic Voyage sci-fi trip through bloodstream Baldwin, James Go Tell It on the Mountain day in the life of a young Black man Barrett, Andrea Voyage of the Narwhal sailing trip from Philadelphia to the Arctic in 1850's Barrett, William Lilies of the Field Black man helps white nuns roof house Borland, Hal When the Legends Die Native American boy & his encounters w/ the white world Bradbury, Ray Martian Chronicles sci-fi short stories Bradbury, Ray Dandelion Wine magical events in the life of a 12-year-old boy Buck, Pearl The Good Earth struggles of Chinese family Burns, Olive Ann Cold Sassy Tree 12-year-old boy in Georgia town Capote, Truman Breakfast at Tiffany's Holly Golightly breezes through life Capote, Truman In Cold Blood true story of a Midwest family's murder Carcaterra, Lorenzo Sleepers petty crime lands kids in juvenile home Carter Forrest The Education of Little Tree Native American boy's struggles growing up Carey, Lorene The Price of a Child underground railroad, based on a true story Cather, Willa My Antonia Nebraska family tames the land Cather, Willa O, Pioneers! woman's sacrifices while settling the land Cisneros, Sandra The House on Mango Street childhood life in Spanish-speaking area of Chicago Cooper, James F. The Last of the Mohicans Natty Bumppo and the French-Indian War Crane, Stephen Maggie: A Girl of the Streets young slum girl struggles with life Crichton, Michael The Andromeda Strain (others) scientific team fights outbreak Cunningham, Michael The Hours three women's stories Didion, Joan The White Album essays about life in the 1960's Didion, Joan Slouching Toward Bethlehem essays about life in the 1960's Dillard, Anne An American Childhood autobiography of life in the 1950's Doctorow, E.L. Loon Lake young man leaves home to find his fortune Dorris, Michael The Broken Cord, The Crown of Columbus son with fetal alcohol syndrome Ellison, Ralph The Invisible Man complex story of African-American man Erdrich, Louise Tracks, The Bingo Palace (others) stories of modern Native Americans Evans, Nicholas The Horse Whisperer teenage girl suffers horseback riding accident Faulkner, William As I Lay Dying family's journey carrying coffin Faulkner, William The Reivers joyriding adventures of young Lucas Priest Fitzgerald, Scott Tender Is the Night woman's struggles with mental illness Fitzgerald, Scott The Great Gatsby portrait of life in the 1920's Frazier, Charles Cold Mountain adventure-filled walk home from Civil War Garcia, Cristina Dreaming in Cuban Cuban family at home and in exile Golden, Arthur Memoirs of a Geisha geisha culture in years before WWII Greenburg, Joanne I Never Promised You a Rose Garden girl's struggle with mental illness Grisham, John A Painted House rural Arkansas in the 50's told by 7-year-old Groom, Winston Forrest Gump amusing story about man w/ challenges Haley, Alex Roots African American man traces ancestry Hamilton, Jane The Book of Ruth woman's struggles with life in rural town Hawthorne, Nathaniel House of the Seven Gables destiny of troubled New England family Hawthorne, Nathaniel The Scarlet Letter woman suffers disgrace resulting from adultery Hayden, Torey One Child (others) special ed teacher investigates child abuse Heller, Joseph Catch 22 satire on insanity of war Hemingway, Ernest For Whom the Bell Tolls war and personal honor in the Spanish Civil War Hemingway, Ernest A Farewell to Arms American lieutenant and British nurse in Italy Hersey, John A Bell for Adano Allied military governs Italian town Houston, Jean Wakatsuki Farewell to Manzanar Japanese internment camp during WWII Hurston, Zora Neale Their Eyes Were Watching God African-American woman searches for happiness Irving, John A Prayer for Owen Meany story of dwarfish boy with strange voice James, Henry The Turn of the Screw young governess sees ghosts Jen, Gish Mona in the Promised Land Asian-American teen rebels Kay, Terry To Dance with the White Dog elderly man experiences death of wife Kennedy, John F. Profiles in Courage stories of courageous men Kerouac, Jack On the Road road trip across the U.S. and back again Kesey, Ken One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest life in mental institution Kincaid, Jamaica Lucy, Annie John girls coming of age Kingsolver, Barbara Animal Dreams (others) Native American/suspenseful love story/environment Kingston, Maxine Hong The Woman Warrior Chinese-American girl's fantasy about being a warrior Knowles, John A Separate Peace two boys in prep school L'Amour, Louis Last of the Breed American survives in Siberia using skills of his ancestors Lee, Harper To Kill a Mockingbird family life in the racially troubled South Lewis, Sinclair Main Street small town America in the 1920's Lewis, Sinclair Arrowsmith ordinary fellow explores life's possibilities Lightman, Alan Einstein's Dreams imaginary dreams of the great scientist London, Jack White Fang relationship between man and dog London, Jack The Call of the Wild dog's survival in the Arctic Malamud, Bernard The Natural baseball player Malamud, Bernard The Fixer man accused of murder Marshall, Catherine Christy teaching in rural mountains Mason, Bobbie In Country teenager learns about Vietnam war McCullers, Carson The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter girl fights loneliness in Southern town McCullers, Carson The Member of the Wedding 12-year-old girl comes of age Melville, Herman Moby Dick search for the great white whale Melville, Herman Billy Budd young sailor on warship Mendelsohn, Jane I Was Amelia Earhart "diary" about possible ending of famous aviator Michener, James Hawaii (others) history of Hawaii Michener, James Centennial celebration of our country Miller, Arthur Death of a Salesman story of a dreamer and loser Miller, Arthur The Crucible Salem witch trials Mitchell, Margaret Gone with the Wind Southern belle during Civil War Momaday, Scott House Made of Dawn Native American travels to city Moody, Anne Coming of Age in Mississippi growing up Black in the 60's Myers, Walter Dean Fallen Angels coming of age in Vietnam during war O'Brien, Tim In the Lake of the Woods politician remembers Vietnam days Oates, Joyce Carol Them poor family in Detroit slums Oates, Joyce Carol Wonderland bizarre family Plath, Sylvia The Bell Jar mental breakdown Porter, Katherine Anne Ship of Fools international shipboard passengers pre WWII Potok,Chaim The Chosen friendship of two Jewish boys Rand, Ayn The Fountainhead architect's struggles Rand, Ayn Anthem man's struggle against totalitarian world Rivera, Tomas And the Earth Did Not Devour Him Mexican-American immigrant story Russo, Richard Empire Falls (others) story of blue-collar life Salinger, J.D. Franny and Zooey two stories from the Glass family Sebold, Alice The Lovely Bones murdered girl tells her story from above Smith, Betty A Tree Grows in Brooklyn girl growing up in Brooklyn 1940's Steinbeck, John Travels with Charley trip around U.S. with dog Steinbeck, John East of Eden conflicts between two generations of brothers Steinbeck, John The Grapes of Wrath family migrates west to California Stowe, Harriet Beecher Uncle Tom's Cabin slavery in 1800's Styron, William The Confessions of Nat Turner Black leader of revolt describes his life Tan, Amy The Joy Luck Club (others) Chinese-American mothers and daughters Thoreau, Henry David Walden life in the woods Twain, Mark The Prince and the Pauper prince and poor boy change places Twain, Mark The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn trip down Mississippi on raft Uchida, Yoshiko Picture Bride Japanese woman comes to U.S. for marriage Vonnegut, Kurt Cat's Cradle search for new form of ice Vonnegut, Kurt Breakfast of Champions humorous descent into madness Walker, Margaret Jubilee African-American woman during Civil War Warren, Robert Penn All the King's Men Southern politics in the 1930's Wharton, Edith The Age of Innocence social life in 1870's New York Wharton, Edith Ethan Frome effects of extramarital longing White, Bailey Mama Makes Up Her Mind essays about Southern family Wilder, Thornton The Bridge of San Luis Rey effects of bridge collapse in Peru Wolfe, Tom Bonfire of the Vanities NY banker's downfall in the 1980's Wolff, Tobiass This Boy's Life boy grows up w/ abusive stepfather Wright, Richard Black Boy growing up Black in the South Wright, Richard Native Son murder of white woman by Black man X, Malcolm The Autobiography of Malcolm X story of Malcolm X's life and conversion